New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-23
THE WOLFE NEWPORT VILLA.
W. X. VANDERBILTS VAIN OFFER FOR 1T.
l. L. LoRILLAED REFUSES 5000, BOOKCASES FOR


near are Breakers Cornelius Vanderbilts hand
some villa which he bought a few years ago from
Pierre Lorillard for 100000 William n. Wander
b;It must think that Miss Wolfes Ninland" Is even
finer than hi brothers estate for few days ago he
offered MT Lorllard through we!l-known real estate
AGO, # 5000. 900 for it, 100000 more than The
Breakers" cost Cornelius Vanderbilt The offer was
declined
The Vnland house is tuilt of stone, is two stories
high and is considered one OF the most elegant and
sumptnous villas in the country IL has rather pialn
exterior but inside is decorated and furnished IN The
handsomest and most luxurious manner. The lawn is
one OF the richest and most beautifully lald out near
Newport. 1t designed by Frederick Law Olm-
sted and comprises about thirteen and onc-hn acres
L. L. Lorard will live at Ninland himself this sum
mer and will make it his permanent country home
IL will not be sold under any circumstances
David Wolfe Bishop. David Wolfe Bruce George
Wolfe Bruce and Louis L. Lorard. the executors OF
Miss Wolfe's will, have been in something OF
ouandary for the last few days over the threatened
expratiop of the lea OF good many pieces OF land
chiefly along Sixth and Eighth aces-beongng TO
the Wolfe estate. The will has not been proved YET
and may not be pro~ed tor two or three weeks, ana
the executors in consequence have, perhaps no strict
legal right either TO renew or to transfer the leases
which NAV lapse this week and next large share
of the estate-nearly $1C,O0OOOO, it is estmnted-is
invested in realty here much OF ii tangled up through
divisions of interests, and the prospect OF confusing
things still further by failure to renew not only
simple but even fractional leases was Ill 1act hlSny
Encouraging 49,
The only obstacle of course, to proving the will is
the absence Europe OF two of the legatees, Cath
airline D'Anglenont who lives in Paris. and George
Iorlard ,nalds who is travelling in Switzerland.
The will was offered for probate on April IL On
April 10 the AIRY legal papers were sent by man
for the two missing legatees to sign. they could
hardly have reached London before yesterday and 1t
will take day tor them TO get to their desti-
nations on the Continent Signed and remaled they
would not be back in Newton much before the mid
die OF Nav.
The executors have nof yet made up their minds
whether TO writ till then or not One OF them SAID
Yesterday that il rather uncertain just where Mir
Ronalds was be had been spending The winter in the
Riviera and had started few weeks ago to drive
par OF horses and carriage OF ls own by easy stages
across the Italian Alps into Switzerland He conse-
oueu changed his address every day or two. and no
communication to him could get further than his Lon
don bankers directly. Tue bankers knew OF Miss
Wote's death. however and might have informed ME-
Roualds Ii Mr.. Ronalds had come on TO London at
the first news OF Miss Woltes death-or II al prop
ably got into the foreign papers-he might easily have
sworn to statement at the United States Consulate
and eent that on as an assent Instead OF waiting Tor
the legal forms from New-lork. The other legaee
Catharine D'Angemont. OF Paris, might have done
the thing. In that case the VIII couid DE proved
within few days or a week.
Still another coen to the executors 70 prove
the will quickly. Their counsel, ALBION T. Man. has
advised them that they may appear before the Sur9
gate with statement that they have taken the
necessary steps to intern all tie legatees, and that
they have no reasonable doubt 20 general assent
and on this the will NAV be accepted by the court.
The executors naturally prefer TO have the documents
signed and returned by the legateer abroad before
doing thing. and are stI IN doubt anodt what tney
shall do. No action VIII DC taken III TIE Surrogate
| Court. at any rate. for several days.
Under Mr.. Mans advice. however the executors de-
termnet yesterday TO renew all leases OF MISS Que
| realty which may aApire on or about May !. re
newaIs will be given in each case for one year only
and the executors will hold themselves Responsible Tor
any difficulties that ma, ARISE. Mr. Man holds thar
they are the de iaco representatives, oil The W one
estate and that although they gre not a. YET III acna
possession il won be mere legal quibi to prevent
them from maintaining the property by such system
of one-ycar leases until they got tu control oil IT.
There are no signs OF contest OF the will and no
AZ TO tine manner in which Miss Wolfes estate is to
| be divided, definite agreement has yet been
reached One Of the executors said yesterday that an
auction sale seemed to him the tairest method OF get
ting at the value of the al estate aud most OF the
personal property According TO the Iast clause ol hc
will the four executors have fal power 10 determine
all questions # valuation and DIVISION the vote OF
majority deciding That part oil the estate winch Miss
Wolfe Inherited from her father in trust only and
winch low goes to the heirs on the Wolfe eoe, VIII Oc
divided according TO a personal valuation by tho
majority OF the heirs on that side The Lorard sae
of the house has only representative among the
| executors Louis l.. Iorillard. On him and ON DAVID
Wolie Bishop will fall the main work OF dividing and
apportionng the bulk OF the PROF erty II Is snla 'n
George Wolfe Bruce not quality az an executor a'
all The limit OF probate tor the VIII has been put VA
the last week CT May. .
| There has heen some talk lately about mysterious
scaled letter addressed by Miss Wolfe to her eHecu-
tors and marked Not to be opened until aiter the
holder of the letter, which might when opened make
some extraordinary and mantle requests, settilS
aside perhaps Of the clauses OF the present will
All this OF cour g. largely the work OF curious
Imagination. The executors know OF no such etter,
which even ii it did exist could have no legal weight
against the probaied will TIE tact 49, as amy , %ne Mn.
Wolfe left three sealed memoranda or letters ad-
dressed to her executors, each relating TO singe
clause OF the will. One wac memorandum IN when
sbe the hope that the executors would dis
pose OF her ewelry, diamonds. shawis ace- etc. III
manner laid down therein. Another gave come dIrec
tons about the presents made 10 her by friends ana
relatives during her lifetime most OF which She wished
to have returned to the givers. The third note con
ain.d a more or less detailed statement of the way IN
which She desired to have the $26O0O0 set aside by
the fourth section OF the will Tor charitable purposes
distributed. 1t plainly stated 10 each clause tha'
the accompanying memorandum should IN no sehse nc
taken az a part OF the will but Onl s personal nope
or request which the executors were not bound at all
legally ~ recognize. -, -
only TO Mr. Man and the iour executors. One, 1t II
said makes provision for plumber OF smaIl Drqucsts
70 servants and friends. Another distributes Miss
Wolfe jewelry brica-brac, shawls laees, etc. among
her frends and relatives The third. OF course, regu
lates the division of the $26O OCO Tor char Work'
All three. perhaps. do not dispose OF $ivoo'yUo 10
gether. Miss Woe's jeweiry, diamonds shaWis,
aces etc. II sold, OF the executors says would
realize about halt million OF dollars ,.;,,., 80
These memoranda OF course, will not be admitted 10
probate. One OF them-the largest one, presumably
provides for gift OF $4,000, il has been whispered
about to a fund-made up when Bishop Potter lett the
rectorshp of Grace Chuich to become assistant Bishop
to supplement the rather neagre salary OF the
assistant Bisbopric. Miss Wolfe one OF the con
tribuos to the fund and LETT the $4,000 1t Is said,
10 make u o the loss OF her annual subscriptions. ,
None OF the epatees seems 10 have any idea Of the
amount Of Miss Woie's fortune. No Inventory has
been taken yet and estimates vary from $S'OUooUo
to 1875 100000 ALBION p Man. when IL q sanenI9 10
mood the other dey, put it at from S15.OOO,Ooo to
$4,000 900. Mr. Man would say nothing. OF course,
about the cont ents OF the notes which Nils Woie ie1t
tor her executors lie recalled the fact thar Peter
Iorard, Mss Wolfes grandfather had lett sort OF
memorandum to his will. which it turned out alter
ward disposed of $20C 900. There would be no
trouble Mr. Man said, about continuing the leases on
| ks-- W. ". o,afa